1. Field of Disclosure
The present invention refers, in general, to a multi-functional device for styling hair, in particular to an electric device for curling or straightening hair.
2. Background Art
As it is known, electric devices for styling hair are widely used both at home and in professional salons. Among such a variety of devices, there are the categories of devices for curling hair and that of devices for straightening hair.
With particular reference to devices for curling hair, the conventional method of curling a lock of hair consists of winding the hair on a heatable cylinder, letting the lock rest for some minutes and then unwinding it. The lock of hair thus takes up a curled shape, determined by the winding on the heated cylinder during the resting time.
In order to achieve a process of this type, it is known to use a so called curling iron, which is typically provided with a cylinder that can be heated on all its surfaces and a clamp that is connected to a lever that is suitable for being actuated by the user of the device. By exerting pressure on the lever, the clamp opens up, promoting the insertion of a lock of hair between the cylinder and the clamp; by releasing the lever, the clamp returns in contact with the cylinder, locking the lock of hair inside it. Once the lock of hair is locked between the clamp and the cylinder, the user rotates the device, manually or through a motor, so as to curl the remaining part of such a lock of hair around the cylinder. Consequently, the entire length of the lock is wound on the heated cylinder and stays resting on it for a period of time that is sufficient for the hair to take up the required style. At the end of such an operation, the user can release the hair unwinding it and again pressing the lever so as to open the clamp.
Electric curling irons are also known that are equipped with so called “floating” arms. A curling iron of this type is described, for example, in Italian patent application MI2009A001946 to the same Applicant as the present application.
Such electric curling irons with floating arms comprise a handgrip, a first atm and a second arm side-by-side and parallel with respect to one another, associated with the handgrip at, respectively, a first end thereof and heating means arranged at at least one arm. One or both of the arms comprise a fixed half-arm that is integral with the handgrip and a mobile half-arm that is elastically supported by the fixed half-arm. When inserting a lock of hair between the two arms, these are capable of moving away from one another so that the lock is easily positioned inside and are moreover capable of exerting, on the lock itself, a weak pressure so as to hold it automatically inside, i.e. without using any mechanical device like levers or clamps, etc. At this point the lock can be partially wound around the cylinder and with a sliding movement towards the free end of the lock it is possible to obtain the desired curling effect in a very simple and effective manner. The elastic action of the mobile half-arms makes up for the lack of the classic mechanical devices such as levers or clamps, automatically modulating the holding force of the lock as a function of its thickness, at the same time keeping it free just enough so as to be able to slide between the mobile half-arms during the movement for obtaining the curl.
The electric curling irons with floating arms described briefly above have undeniable advantages in terms of manageability that is considerably improved and in terms of a substantial reduction of the working time thanks to the total absence of mechanical elements, like for example, clamps or blades and levers or buttons, which can be an obstacle to the hair curling operations. Considering the particular construction of the arms (two semi-circumferences that face one another) it is possible to think that the same tool can be used not only for curling hair but also for straightening it, since there is indeed the opportunity of being able to insert the lock between two opposite flat surfaces. However, the tool is almost useless for this function without suitable provisions, which is an object of the present invention being made.
Indeed, in the case in which the user desires to use a device with floating plates for straightening her hair instead of curling it, the floating of the plates would not make it possible to exert, on the lock inserted between them, the compression force necessary for straightening it, since the existing compression force offers a resistance that is only suitable for weakly holding the lock so as to be able to make the curl as described above. On the other hand, if such a compression force were increased by acting on the elastic elements interposed between the fixed half-arm and the mobile half-arm, there would be the double problem of having a more difficult insertion of the lock between the two arms and very poor sliding while making the curl, with a consequent poor result. Consequently, in order to straighten hair, it is necessary to make some suitable modifications, since only with a suitable compression force it is possible to obtain the desired straight result. Again, if in the attempt of straightening her hair the user were to exert for example pressure on one end of, the arms that is distal with respect to the handgrip of the curling iron device, this would lead to an undesired lever effect, with the result of a spreading apart of the mobile half-arms at the proximal end of the handgrip, with consequent substantial impossibility of exerting any form of pressure suitable for straightening the lock.
The Applicant has thus tackled the technical problem of providing a multi-functional device for styling hair or rather a device that is capable of curling and straightening hair according to the particular requirement of the user and that at the same time is handy and easy to use.